Bulk .38 Spl Ammo

38 Special Ammunition Overview

Famed for its longevity and performance, the 38 SPL cartridge is one that's especially associated with revolvers today. Smith and Wesson introduced 38 Special to the world in 1898 and today, you'll find formidable loads at cheap prices made by big names like Federal, Winchester, Hornady and more.[Read More]

38 Special Ammo Types

We carry a full line of 38 special with more than a dozen different bullet types. Full metal jacket or lead round nose rounds are very popular for range training. More particular shooters will want to go with a wadcutter load. These wadcutter bullets are particularly good at punching precise holes in paper and are quite popular among competitive shooters where scoring zones are of the utmost importance.

Of course, if you carry a 38 special for protection, you'll likely want to pick up hollow point rounds of some kind. These bullets expand upon impact with a soft target, doing the maximum amount of damage and giving you the best chance at neutralizing a threat.

38 Special Ballistics

+P ammunition is very common among 38 special loads and you'll find increased pressure affords shooters about 20% more muzzle energy than standard loads in the caliber.

38 Special Load

Bullet Weight

Muzzle Velocity

Muzzle Energy

38 SPL Wadcutter

148 Grain

690 ft/second

156 ft. lbs.

38 SPL

158 Grain

940 ft/second

310 ft. lbs.

38 SPL +P

158 Grain

1,000 ft/second

351 ft. lbs.

Of course, keep in mind - if you choose to carry a load with increased pressure, that does have the potential to increase strain on your firearm. Many manufacturers do not recommend shooting +p ammo in their firearms. Also, if you choose +p rounds, expect to deal with increased recoil as a result of the increased velocity and energy these loads provide.

If you're headed out for some plinking, you'll probably want to look to a full metal jacket loaded round. Full metal jacket bullets are sometimes referred to as "ball ammo" and are designed not to expand when they come in contact with a soft target. So, for punching holes in paper - they're fantastic and pretty cheap to buy. However, if you need something for self-defense, we recommend you look to a hollow point of some kind.

Here is a look at some of our best selling 38 special ammo for the range:

All the bulk ammunition for sale you see on our website is in our warehouse and ready to ship. If you place your order today, your bulk ammo will be shipped at the first available opportunity - no disappointing "out of stock" emails or delays here!